Home Forums Breakaway Professional Products – [discontinued] Volume inconsistencies cut-to-cut

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  • #168
    AdamH
    Member

    Leif,

    There has to be a way around this problem…

    I am running an alternative rock station with aggressive processing, and I am finding that there are very noticeable differences in volume cut-to-cut. Some songs have a very high perceived loudness, while others seem dull in comparison.

    Also, when there is a rapid change in dynamics (from soft to loud), the AGC brings the volume up (which is awesome!), but when the loudness kicks in, instead of the attack immediately attenuating the sound, you can hear it gradually reduce the density. Now, when you look at the waveform associated with this, you can see the actual volume stays the same, but the density of the sound is reduced over a period .5 to 1.5 seconds. I can upload a picture of this in a few hours so you can see exactly what I mean.

    Now compared to the way StreamSolo, which has been in the chain for 4 years, handled these dynamics, it was spot-on every time. Of course the actual audio was not as clear as it is in Breakaway.

    Current Settings…

    Preset: Plutonium NR
    Range: 90
    Power: 20
    Speed: 85
    Bass Boost: Normal
    Bass Shape: Normal
    Final Drive: 1.0 dB

    I have to leave Power relatively low, or I get a significant amount of pumping.

    Thanks Leif,
    Adam

    #5987
    Leif
    Keymaster

    Hi Adam!

    The Power control adjusts the compression ratio of both the AGC and the Multiband. Setting it low means requesting that more of the original volume differences be left intact.

    Try leaving Power at 50, and turn down the Speed control to make the compressors act less quickly — that should take care of both the pumping and any volume inconsistencies.

    The soft-to-loud is a different problem though. I understand exactly what you mean, and I do hear it.

    The last time I adjusted the Plutonium preset was before I implemented the dual stage Input AGC, so it doesn’t yet take advantage of it.

    I believe this calls for either an update to the Plutonium preset, or the addition of a Rock preset. Using carefully tuned compressor after the AGC completely fixes this problem.

    I’ll take care of the problem and include it in the next version.

    Right now I’m working heavily on Breakaway Live, but it shouldn’t be too many days until I can release a beta of that along with a new beta of BBP.

    Thank you very much for your comments, Adam, and stay tuned! 🙂

    Best regards,
    ///Leif

    #5988
    lpy7
    Member

    I think I noticed the same thing in Breakaway Personal (and BPP). I recorded 4 short demos…volume change is at 15 seconds.

    1 – Original recording.
    http://rapidshare.com/files/174204079/1_ori.mp3

    2 – Volume Logic.
    Not bad, quite smooth.
    http://rapidshare.com/files/174204080/2_vl.mp3

    3 – Breakaway Personal (Reference Heavy NR, Speed = 50)
    Noticeable jump (booming sound) for about half a second before it settles.
    http://rapidshare.com/files/174204081/3_bp_50.mp3

    4 – Breakaway Personal (Reference Heavy NR, Speed = 80)
    Less noticeable jump, but squashier audio.
    http://rapidshare.com/files/174204082/4_bp_80.mp3

    Of course, the audio with Volume Logic is no comparison to Breakaway’s, but its AGC is definitely smooth. Is this what you mean?

    #5989
    AdamH
    Member

    Leif,

    I knew you would know what I was talking about!

    I followed your advice on lowering the Speed and raising the Power to 50. In the Plutonium preset, there was still a lot of pumping, but the Regulator sounds great in that range. It seems like that preset increases the power and fatness of the audio without doing a whole lot of audible compression, which is perfect.

    Looking forward to a rock preset (with, hopefully, a relatively flat EQ!)…

    Adam

    #5990
    Leif
    Keymaster

    Hey guys, you know what —

    I’m absolutely ecstatic that people are listening this carefully!

    Excellent examples – Thanks lpy! I’ll take care of the problem for the next version. 😉

    By the way, a couple of real song that do the same thing:

    Clawfinger – "Do what I say"
    Pink Floyd – "In the flesh?" (first track from The Wall)

    ///Leif

    #5991
    AdamH
    Member

    [quote author=”Leif”]Hey guys, you know what —

    I’m absolutely ecstatic that people are listening this carefully!
    [/quote]

    Wouldn’t have it any other way, my friend.

    Adam

    #5992
    AdamH
    Member

    Ok, here is an interesting turn of events…

    I saw the New York preset a few weeks ago and went "oh that’s funny…" after I read the description. It looked more like a novelty preset than something truly serious.

    And then I tried it.

    With the Power around 20, it still does an enormous amount of gain riding but it doesn’t introduce pumping. The density is pretty consistent from soft-to-loud (seems to eliminate my problem above with the Plutonium preset). Honestly, I would put this sound on the air in a top-10 market and not regret a minute of it.

    Leif, does New York have the dual band compressor you were talking about?

    Adam

    #5993
    JesseG
    Member

    Yes, it does. And it’s not a dual band, but a new dual-stage compression. 1 of them or both can be used at the same time. Also second compressor can be put before or after the multiband too, so it offers a lot of versatility to the preset designer. There’s even parametric EQs on the side-bands (control signal inputs). 😉

    New York preset uses both, 1 before multiband, 1 after.

    Glad you liked it. 8) I really did design it with the current NYC market in mind btw. Not just to sound like them (and in some ways, some stations, better) but Breakaway is actually already getting used on a very large station there, but I can’t drop names until they do. 😉

    #5994
    Leif
    Keymaster
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